I can’t. Not really. If you know me well, that doesn’t shock you. One of my biggest problems is my lack of confidence. I’ve wrestled with it for years and probably always will.

I was thinking about this because someone sent me one of those emails where you describe the person who sent it to you with one word and then send it to others to hear how they’d describe you.

I am always surprised with how people describe me, if they’re doing so in a kind way. And my lack of confidence unfortunately makes me very needy when it comes to affirmation. This time was no different when people used words like exceptional and extraordinary to describe me. It’s coming at a time when I’m feeling very bad (no surprise) about myself, where I am in my life, and looking to who I will be in the future.

If you think like this about yourself, you might want to do this exercise. Sit with someone who knows you very well; that’s important. You both need paper and a pen.

First, you focus on your qualities. You write down your 10 best qualities; the other person writes down what they think are your 10 best qualities.

Second, you focus on your 10 best accomplishments. The other person makes their list about you too.

Third, you swapped the lists so you see what they wrote and they go over with you what you wrote about yourself.

My sister Cathi did this with me when I was about 22. It was agony for me to make those lists and it took me a long time, which obviously is not a good thing. I used to carry the lists she made about me in my wallet so I could look at them, although I had a problem with some of the accomplishments she had written. Such as “graduated high school”.

Me: Lots of people graduate high school. That’s not a big accomplishment.

Cathi: But not everyone does, so it counts.

Me: That’s like saying some people are still picking their nose. The fact that I don’t isn’t something I’d brag about either.

I’d actually like to do this exercise again, but I’d really should do it with John who knows me better than anyone. But he also knows me so well, he knows I’d make him nuts by questioning everything he wrote so he’d probably say “You know I think you’re fantastic” and refuse to get himself in trouble if I asked. LOL!

Once again, this post will discuss girl “parts”, so if discussing “naughty bits” bothers you at all, I’ll understand if you leave now.

Just thought you might like to know the follow-up. “Athena” walked into the bedroom from the shower with nothing but a towel around her hair as she looked for the clothes she had put aside to wear to work. So Miss Cooch was out and so were her upstairs neighbors, The Girls. “Ajax” immediately pointed:

“Ajax”: I see it. I see the Cooch. I see it, I’m pointing out how great it is, and how much I love it! Let everybody know.

And he noticed even though his favorite, The Howard Stern Show, was on the TV.

This post approved by (although I don’t think you’ll find them making a T-shirt out of this story):

Posted onNovember 16, 2008|Comments Off on Twitter: marketing gives you somethng you already have again

Every once in awhile, someone hires a great advertising company or has someone within the organization who is able to sell you something you already have. Twitter is the latest example.

You know the types of products I mean. Let’s take AOL, as an example. AOL convinced people it was the only way to hook up to cyberspace, and with its huge marketing campaign to send diskettes to everyone all the time, it dominated the market with something that already existed and was better than AOL.

On the Web, this whole idea happens over and over. First, people had personal sites. Companies created user friendly interfaces so you didn’t have to know how to code pages or how to FTP, it took care of it for you. Nevertheless, blogs were born, basically selling the same thing, but fresh packaging. Then that wasn’t good enough. You had to be on My Space, then that was old and Facebook was born. With cell phones carrying text messaging, then pictures, then videos, people demanded a way to send everything to their blog/MySpace/Facebook page. Mobile blogging was born and existed happily for years. And people didn’t want to sign up for newlsetter updates, so RSS came around so you got the latest without going to sites or having to give up your email address.

Now Twitter is the new fad on the block, convincing people that with all this communication going on for years, you aren’t doing it right unless you do it with them. And it’s working.

Last year, I set up a blog for our vacation. I updated it live from my phone with text posts, pictures, and video. I told all my friends and family, including people we knew from one forum who were coming along and those staying at home. Even with reminders that it was live, I only got a few of them checking the site. Even when I videod some of them having dinner and asked them to say hi to the people at home, they looked at me like they had no clue about what I was saying.

This yea, they are all a “Twitter” about sending live posts to people at home and how this “new” technology made it possible. When I pointed out it already existed, they told me I was fixated on one vs the other, and then procedeeded to tell me at great lengths how Twitter was better.

Because it’s faster: somehow, addressing your text message to Twitter is quicker than addressing it to your blog. Don’t ask me how, because I don’t see it either.

They say every cell phone that can send text messages can Twitter, but these cell phones can’t send text messages to a blog. Or Flickr. Or YouTube. I know what you’re going to say: “Yes, they can.” Don’t bother. I’ve said it multiple times and they still tell me how it can’t.

People don’t have to go to your blog to see what you posted. The fact that people can click on the RSS button on your blog, and get all the updates through their email software, iGoogle, Live Bookmarks etc doesn’t seem to count.

You can include LOTS of people at once on your text message. Of course, cell phones have this ability already without Twitter; friends of mine are always sending messages through one address. My phone that’s 1 year old has groups you set up for each number; I can text all of them, but shrug.

Twitter will update all your other sites. Um, so will my blog. So will Flickr or whatever else I want.

People at home are part of the fun: I did that last year before Twitter existed. Less than a handful cared.

People can contribute more than they used to: Doesn’t sound like it. Sounds like people just didn’t know they could.

So it still sounds to me like we have another case of people being sold something that they had in their pocket already, but you can’t get them to hear that. They have their AOL diskette and they are thrilled.

Well, you can’t fight that kind of mentality, I’ve learned that lesson. Some bloggers are joining in so they don’t lose their audience who are moving that way. I don’t plan to because I don’t have an audience like that; if people stop reading the blog, I’ll just shut it down. No biggie. Right now, I don’t see a reason to do something cell phones and the web already do.

I’m sincere in wishing the Twittering crowd well. For example, since so many of our friends who we’re meeting in Florida are going to post to Twitter about the trip and so few went to my vacation blog, there’s no need for me to do one this year. So if you are interested in seeing what’s happening in Fla then, check out Twitter for the live posts; you’ll find a lot of information there. When it’s over, a lot of others will post pictures to Flickr and movies to YouTube as well as blogs around the web. You’l probably see us in a few of their pictures!

PS: I had created a Twitter account when I thought I needed it for a friend’s blog. I just tried to delete it and got a message saying they had disabled the Delete Account ability for awhile. Why, how very Microsoft of them. LOL!!

Comments Off on Twitter: marketing gives you somethng you already have again

This post is going to discuss “parts”: boy “parts” and girl “parts”. It’ll do so in a very tasteful way, no nasty language or bad pictures. However, if discussing “naughty bits” bothers you at all, I’ll understand if you leave now.

If you were hoping for nasty language and pictures, I’ll also understand if you leave now.

Now, for the one person who is still reading this because you’re too tired to hit the Back button:

I have a story to tell about two people; let’s say their names are “Athena” and “Ajax”. Yesterday morning, “Athena” was getting ready for work and realized she hadn’t brought up the clean laundry from the family room. So she grabbed her clothes and went there to get clean underwear. As she dressed, she decided it would be funny if she went back to the bedroom with just her top on, no pants but dress shoes, to see what comment “Ajax” would make.

She walked in and right away, he looked like he had some really good comment to make. Wrong. He talked about other things, and she stalled for time until he finally would say something. Finally:

“Athena”: No comment about my outfit?

He stared, paused, and really thought about it. Then:

“Ajax”: Hey, you don’t have any pants on!

[The following paragraph uses “medical” jargon for people’s “parts”. Just warning you again.]

Like “Athena” said: that’s just wrong! If Miss Cooch is out there, fresh from the shower, clean and cute, you should notice! Because “Athena” certainly notices whenever his Whoo Hoo is Born Free, as it were. No one is saying that every time has to lead to wink-wink-nudge-nudge something, but it shouldn’t have to pointed out to anyone.

And it wasn’t because “Ajax” was too tired to notice, because, a few minutes after this all happened, he got all excited when he saw that Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan was on. So he was awake to notice that scrolling by!

So let’s all take a lesson from “Athena” and “Ajax”: if your partner’s “parts” are out there, even casually, give them a friendly acknowledgment.

This post was approved by Dr. Ruth Westheimer whose web site is very tastefully titled: Get Some!

Dog owners: Beginning November 15th, dog owners can bring their furry friends to meet St. Nick at Downtown Disney throughout the holiday season. Leashed pooches are welcome to pose for pictures at Santa’s Christmas Chalet located near World of Disney through Dec. 24. You can take your own photos or use Disney’s PhotoPass service. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 15-27 and noon to 10 p.m. Nov. 28-Dec. 24. A doggie “comfort” area will be in the grassy section behind Once Upon a Toy. For questions, call 407-828-3150.